The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-04-28
ana ne met ne- there.

upon his sleeve his sWarthy lace became
pale. ..s..-... e.. -..
Explain it? ..
| Well-shall we explain their immor-
tality? 80 .- .... F..
He did not attempt even to explain it to
himself. He said simply: sit is she; at
| last; at last" and he was very content.
| Mime. Roxandrs Sfnirnoff was hardly
| beautiful-nor yet very young, being per-
haps 30 and of that extreme fairness which
conveys to tho casual thinker the idea of
| a passionless and colorless nature.
All! who knew better than Ivan An
saldi that it was the fire within her soul
| that had burned the face, the lips, the
| shoulders of ROXantlra Smirnoff into such
| q transparency of wilderness? Who knew
| better than he the pale gold of her hair,
| and the paler blue of her large eyes, hid
volcano of sensitive feeling under their
fair exterior?
Moreover, she was dressed in white,
with pearls and crystals and diamonds
| sparkling on her bosom and the upper
parts of her arms-indeed, she looked like
an icicle, as some one said.
Ivan heard them say it rs they passed;
he smiled.
''Madam, did you hear''
eyes she answered.
"And'-
ooh, to them, yes-'an icicle'-and one
that they could never melt-but what do
| you think of me?'
"Too much to dare to utter it,"
impossible.
81 assure you
"Will you then permit me to be your
interpreter5'' Roxandra Smirnoff says,
| with q little smile just breaking the frozen
| pink arch of her mouth.
Ivan bowed, looking at her with that
| comprehensive glance which man never
| gives to but one woman In his lifetime.
"You are kind to permit t!'' The smile
| breaks into little low ripple of cool
| laughter, more intoxicating to him who
| listened than would have been the most
| luscious mirth of the reddest lips of his
| own south land.
"Well-you think-here is a woman
| who has been loved, as brothers, friends,
| lovers love, by men of talent, strength
| in brief, by men-and not to be loved in
some fashion is for her new sensation,
| from which she will not draw back-no-
| rather will she extend to this novelty the
right hand of welcome; she is charmed
with It'll That is what you say to your
self, Ivan Ansaldi, and you are correct.
wish nothing so much as that you shall
like me-not more than that-with that !
am content"
"And I am not"
Mime. Smirnoff shrugs her snowy
shoulders.
"No. Oh, by HeavenI' cries he under
bis breath. "What woman you arer'
"What kind of woman, then, am I?''
~ do not know-I do not know-the
kind of woman that is at once a mans in
SEPARATION and his Despair can think of
only two words Of Dante's when look at
you"
"And those are'''
'"The eternal pearl"
"Your Italian said it of the moon"
"Yes, and l borrow it for you-for,
should sin dye you as deep red as those
roses yondcr-should crime blacken you
as somberly as look our starless nights
| still you would to me shine forever white,
immaculate, spOtless; you puzzle, you ir
| ritate, you entrance mep'
ROxandra Smirnof shudders and Ivan
stoOps to gather her fur cape over her.
.'Why did you think Of thati''
"Whatg''
"Sin-and-crime?''
The music, friends voice, these things
recall Ivan to all ordinary view of the Sit
uation.
H.,
me- To tell you the truth, stumbled
was murdered as came out tonight, and
its influence must be haunting me-"
"And should such mementOs rise be-
| tween you and me.'' murmurs she in q
voice whose melted musicalness was more
like perfume to his senses than sound"
Between u.s." corrects Ivan. "No-
| and yet, my countrymen are brutally SUI
| perstitious, and am one of them"
"How?' she asks dazedly.
"Well," Ivan Ansaldi leans over the
high back of Nine. Smirnoff's chair, his
arms folded, his eyes bent upon the fair
face upturned to question his.
"Well, we love each other; that is the
truth, is it not"'
eyes," she breathes heavily under the
velvet of her bodice.
ct is great thing-it is the thing 1
have looked for all my lfe."
"And l." Roxandra murmurs.
"You fill my eyes, my soul, my senses,
my heart and brain. l must tell it to
your
A little crimson color creeps into her
parted lips; a little f1eck of pink blood
tinges the white of her cheek.
"And," Ivan says slowly and painfully,
'thcre is something else that l must say
to you also. Do not deny me, do not even
look at met is fate, and with that it is
best not to disagree. 1 say to you good
by"
He leaves her.
He leaves the house of his friend blind
1y, and, net stopping to enter carriage,
rushes across the city to his own house.
AS he enters the drawing room the dark
| cloth covering the statue of Memory clings
| to his rough surtOut. With n muttered
| exclamation he threw himself upon the
| lounge.
He vaguely heard the bells ring out the
hours-two, three. He listened to dog
bark i'm the street, the dull sound of car
| riage wheels grating on the ice; voices; a
lull; footsteps-some one without; some
one admitted by sleepy servant.
Ansaldi neither turned his head nor
opened his eyes.
Presently he felt upon his brow touch,
cool as the fall of dew upon the parched
earth.
He did not stir, save that shudder of
incalculable pain thrilled him from crown
to heel. -..
''It is Ir' murmurs the voice of Roxan-
dra Smirnof.
II know it," he replies, still without
moving.
"Shal aught come between US now
now, when for You have risked every
thing? Answer me yes or no-do not
move, and then l go-already am here
too long"
With motion Of exquisite Difference, SO
tender as to be well nigh idolatrous, Ivan
Ansaldi took into his the white hand of
Roxandra Smirnof and, rising, he raised
1t to his lips. A kiss softer and sweeter
than incense he gave it, and then his eyes
fell upon the ungloved hand of the woman
he loved-her right hand
With cry of terror-a cry like that
which comes from the throat of some
wounded wild beast-he sprang back and
flung her from him.
s'What is it. Ivan, what is it!'' Rox-
andra SmiPnOff stands erect in the full
fare Of the many candles.
.sWhat is it.'' echoes the man. "Who
are you? what are yon2 Let ME look at
you'll let me look at youp
He reaches forward and takes her head
roughly between his palms.
$50 you" Ivan catches at her other
hand and drops it with a motion of horror.
"You are both of themm
ssWhat? whatyn
ooh, never mind-I-" he wipes the
great drops from his face, and sits down